Tons of smuggled pangolins found

HANOI – Vietnamese customs officials have found over 6 tons of live, protected pangolins inside a shipping container sent from Indonesia.

The rare creatures, known as “scaly anteaters” for their unusual appearance and prized in China and Vietnam as an exotic meal, were discovered last week during an inspection at the northern port of Hai Phong, an official said Wednesday.

The container, which was due to be shipped to an undisclosed final destination, provided documents claiming it contained frozen fish, fins and fish bones, a report said on the government’s website.

Pangolins sell for between 8 to 10 million dong ($300 to $500) per kilogram at restaurants in Vietnam, according to state media reports. Their trade is banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.